OT Syracuse Hillsman resigns

[HopJim]

Reading the article, I get the sense Shayeann Day-Wilson and Latasha Lattimore are transferring due in part Q is no longer the head coach rather than has to why he stepped down. (but I may be totally wrong)

Both players gave a verbal pledge to join the Orange on May 17, 2020. They signed their national letter of intents to join the program on Nov. 11.

As two of the most highly-recruited players in North America — both with more than 100 scholarship offers each — Lattimore and Day-Wilson said in an interview with Syracuse.com last year they were sold on Syracuse because of Hillsman’s transparency when it came to their basketball potential.

Amazed that some of Syc. best recruiting classes came so close to the entire program imploding. Would have thought that there was some conversation between the alums and/or the many players that left the program and new recruits.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

They need somebody........and NOW!!! They could do a lot worse. She built programs at Duke and Texas. To start from square one and build that program from the ground up would be nothing new to her.

I think Jody Conradt might disagree about Texas. Duke, largely yes, although Duke has some unique points, obviously.

At this point in her career (age wise) would she really want to build a program from square 1? Would she want to work in Syracuse (no knock on Syracuse, I always enjoyed visiting for work, but the weather comments are spot on)? And what recruiting chops does she have for the area, type of school, etc?

I like Gail and I would like her to do one more coaching job before retiring, but I'm not 100% convinced Syracuse is where I would want it to be.

 

[jchusky]

why should someone have to made demands to schedule a homecoming game? Also that doesn't define someone's character, what defines someone's character is how they treat one another. Most of these schools know they're going to get blownout, why would they want their program to go through that? They know they can't match Uconn's talent. Again nobody owes anything to them just cause they are Uconn.

 

[HuskyNan]

Ha, I was gonna say, maybe Ottawa or thereabouts?

Beautiful downtown Potsdam NY

 

[CL82]

I went to college 3 hours north of Syracuse. We had 3 seasons: winter, July, and August.

Three hours north of Syracuse? You went to college at the north pole?

 

[cancontent]

I feel like there is a very intriguing story to go along with this statement...

Intriguing would be a good word.

Depending on who you talk to in the GTA about these two, the responses will be mixed. Their emergence onto the basketball scene definitely wasn't boring. It's also a situation where there's a clash in styles that rubs some the wrong way, me being one of them. They used the approach most BYers are used to seeing in America to market themselves as they were coming up.

This isn't an approach that was common in Canada before. I don't think Kia Nurse or Laeticia even got this type of attention. There was a lot of effort with the production of their videos, media attention and write ups. In my opinion, they would have gotten attention regardless because they are talented players. Manufacturing the attention they way they have seemed excessive.

The director referenced in one of the articles comes across like Hillsman to me. I'd suggest looking through their director's posts on IG under their AAU team's name (Sisterskeeper). He's not one to hold his tongue.

He's been on record and upfront about the end game for these two with respect to basketball aspirations. Here's a link to a podcast interview when he talked about the creation of the Royal Crown program and it may talk about why they left Crestwood after their Junior year to this upstart.



There was another interview where they were more blunt about their reasons, but it's no longer online. That would have provided better insight for you to make your own determination.

 

[CocoHusky]

Oh that's reason 100%. No doubt about it. Hillsman's personality is very similar to some of the people they have relied on throughout their recruiting process.

Question is whether they'll be able to pair up somewhere else as a tandem at this point with schools close to starting up in the fall. They've always came across as a package deal in how things were posted and certain comments that were made.

If ESPN is to be believed Lattimore considered Cal, UCLA, Florida, ND, Kentucky, Michigan, Baylor and Lady Vols while coming out of high school. Among those schools ND, Baylor & Kentucky appear to have the roster space to accommodate a tandem. Lattimore is an intriguing talent.

 

[Carnac]

I think Jody Conradt might disagree about Texas. Duke, largely yes, although Duke has some unique points, obviously.

At this point in her career (age wise) would she really want to build a program from square 1? Would she want to work in Syracuse (no knock on Syracuse, I always enjoyed visiting for work, but the weather comments are spot on)? And what recruiting chops does she have for the area, type of school, etc?

I like Gail and I would like her to do one more coaching job before retiring, but I'm not 100% convinced Syracuse is where I would want it to be.

It was just a thought. There are many other highly qualified coaches looking for a head coach position. For some reason, she came to mind. Who would YOU like to see the Syracuse AD hire?

 

[cancontent]

If ESPN is to be believed Lattimore considered Cal, UCLA, Florida, ND, Kentucky, Michigan, Baylor and Lady Vols while coming out of high school. Among those schools ND, Baylor & Kentucky appear to have the roster space to accommodate a tandem. Lattimore is an intriguing talent.

She is. Her progression since she was 13/14 has been impressive.

As to whether all of these schools could be in the picture, good question. Her final three were Florida, Syracuse and Kentucky I believe. With the current HC at Kentucky being a former AC and involved in her recruitment, this is one option. Baylor is interesting as there is a new coaching regime, and they did lose some 2021 commits.

I still think it will have to be a program that will take the both of them. I'll be really surprised if they split up.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Two administrators involved with compliance at Syracuse have been terminated without explanation other than "University policy".

Syracuse confirms 2 more athletic administrators no longer employed amid women’s basketball investigation

Syracuse Deputy Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator Kimberly Keenan Kirkpatrick and Director of Program Management and Development Cedric Solice are no longer employees of the school

www.syracuse.com

Not surprising. The adminisrators in question had their conduct detailed in a follow up article from The Athletic and The DailyOrange ran with it. Syracuse officials knew about Quentin Hillsman’s misconduct, The Athletic reports

 

[Ozimoto]

The dominoes are falling...

 

[eebmg]

Two administrators involved with compliance at Syracuse have been terminated without explanation other than "University policy".

Syracuse confirms 2 more athletic administrators no longer employed amid women’s basketball investigation

Syracuse Deputy Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator Kimberly Keenan Kirkpatrick and Director of Program Management and Development Cedric Solice are no longer employees of the school

www.syracuse.com

When Hillsman institutes a fast break, whoa.

 

[hard2please]

don't trip on the way out

 

[Bald Husky]

I think Jody Conradt might disagree about Texas. Duke, largely yes, although Duke has some unique points, obviously.

At this point in her career (age wise) would she really want to build a program from square 1? Would she want to work in Syracuse (no knock on Syracuse, I always enjoyed visiting for work, but the weather comments are spot on)? And what recruiting chops does she have for the area, type of school, etc?

I like Gail and I would like her to do one more coaching job before retiring, but I'm not 100% convinced Syracuse is where I would want it to be.

My son attended Syracuse Law School and he loved it up there, even the weather. He wanted to settle down in the area but an offer from the city of New York lured him down to Gotham. I agree that Gail did nothing at Texas, and actually couldn't get that NC at Duke. Shes been bouncing around for a while, so I don't know if she is really in demand. She never impressed me, even at Duke.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Appointing Hillsman's Assoc. Head Coach with years of working with Hillsman doesn't exactly send a signal of changing of the guard. The signal it sends is the AD is protecting himself and the issues will not be genuinely addressed.

 

[FanFromMaine]

why should someone have to made demands to schedule a homecoming game? Also that doesn't define someone's character, what defines someone's character is how they treat one another. Most of these schools know they're going to get blownout, why would they want their program to go through that? They know they can't match Uconn's talent. Again nobody owes anything to them just cause they are Uconn.

Nobody NEEDS to schedule UConn for any game; I agree.

But character as defined by empathy to offers is absolutely displayed by such choices as you know.

I again ask where does this antipathy to UConn on the BY board come from????

 

[oldude]

Appointing Hillsman's Assoc. Head Coach with years of working with Hillsman doesn't exactly send a signal of changing of the guard. The signal it sends is the AD is protecting himself and the issues will not be genuinely addressed.

I agree with you, but I also suspect that the interim HC is just that. The University investigation into Q’s antics is incomplete and ongoing. Players will be back on campus in less than a month.

There is an absolute mess to clean up. Syracuse needs to first come clean on what was going on under Q, and then take their time to make a really good decision for their next WBB HC. For now, they can make do with the assistant on an interim basis, and look for the next HC to lead Syracuse WBB following the upcoming season.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It will be interesting to see what if anything is contained in the legal report about the Assoc. Head Coach. Hopefully interim stays just that. I'm not keen on the Syracuse Admin.

 

[HopJim]

Nobody NEEDS to schedule UConn for any game; I agree.

But character as defined by empathy to offers is absolutely displayed by such choices as you know.

I again ask where does this antipathy to UConn on the BY board come from????

To me, the biggest issue in scheduling or not scheduling this game was more one of coaching philosophy. Many coaches want to schedule the best teams possible. Great experience for players and gives them experience that can improve future performance. Obviously, Hillsman felt his win/loss record was more important than player development.

 

[MSGRET]

To me, the biggest issue in scheduling or not scheduling this game was more one of coaching philosophy. Many coaches want to schedule the best teams possible. Great experience for players and gives them experience that can improve future performance. Obviously, Hillsman felt his win/loss record was more important than player development.

If they had played UConn it might have helped them plan against UConn in the NC game. But then again it might have just helped UConn beat the Cuse by more than the 31 point drubbing that Stewie and company gave them.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

To me, the biggest issue in scheduling or not scheduling this game was more one of coaching philosophy. Many coaches want to schedule the best teams possible. Great experience for players and gives them experience that can improve future performance. Obviously, Hillsman felt his win/loss record was more important than player development.

That's an overgeneralization, (about the experience) - although I would have thought it was true in Syracuse's case.

One factor that might have entered his thinking actually happened back when we were at Rutgers - the UConn fans outnumbered the Rutgers fans at Rutgers. This happened several times. I think he might have correctly anticipated that UConn / Stewie fans would outnumber Syracuse fans. Why does it matter? - the uproar at Rutgers went on and on for several years. The players were angry at Rutgers fans for not showing up, the Rutgers fans that did show up were furious that they were outnumbered (and a couple stopped coming, which seemed stupid to me, but they did) and CVS was furious with the university for allowing it to happen. It is no fun to have your home court taken away.

Or, he could just have a nasty man. I'm not taking sides, but at the time that was my thought.

 

[Adesmar123]

That's an overgeneralization, (about the experience) - although I would have thought it was true in Syracuse's case.

One factor that might have entered his thinking actually happened back when we were at Rutgers - the UConn fans outnumbered the Rutgers fans at Rutgers. This happened several times. I think he might have correctly anticipated that UConn / Stewie fans would outnumber Syracuse fans. Why does it matter? - the uproar at Rutgers went on and on for several years. The players were angry at Rutgers fans for not showing up, the Rutgers fans that did show up were furious that they were outnumbered (and a couple stopped coming, which seemed stupid to me, but they did) and CVS was furious with the university for allowing it to happen. It is no fun to have your home court taken away.

Or, he could just have a nasty man. I'm not taking sides, but at the time that was my thought.

This horse is begging for mercy and has called PETA.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

My son attended Syracuse Law School and he loved it up there, even the weather. He wanted to settle down in the area but an offer from the city of New York lured him down to Gotham. I agree that Gail did nothing at Texas, and actually couldn't get that NC at Duke. Shes been bouncing around for a while, so I don't know if she is really in demand. She never impressed me, even at Duke.

I'm pretty sure Gail is in demand. I'd take her in a heartbeat at Rutgers after Vivian, but I don't expect it to happen.

There were a lot of politics involved with her general lack of success at Texas. I was carping at the suggestion that it needed rebuilding after Jody retired. Only Jody's last 2 years were sub-par.

Her performance at Duke was fine, 80% wins, in fact. It was really a fluke that Rutgers beat them to make the 2007 Final Four.

 

[Vowelguy]

Her performance at Duke was fine, 80% wins, in fact. It was really a fluke that Rutgers beat them to make the 2007 Final Four.

Not just fine. Compare JPM , who was not bad, to her.
I always thought GG was not a good front runner, which is why some of her best teams came up short, but other than her performance was excellent.

 

[Dillon77]

If ESPN is to be believed Lattimore considered Cal, UCLA, Florida, ND, Kentucky, Michigan, Baylor and Lady Vols while coming out of high school. Among those schools ND, Baylor & Kentucky appear to have the roster space to accommodate a tandem. Lattimore is an intriguing talent.

Hey there. After a check with some fellow Benchers, we remembered that while Lattimore considered ND, the more prolonged "mutual interest" was actually with PG Day-Wilson. That diminished and those embers would be pretty low considering thta fellow frosh Olivia Miles is just getting started at ND.

ND could use a big of Lattimore's ilk badly, but if it's a packdage deal, I just don't see it (because of the Miles/Day-Wilson factor).

For somer reason, I could see both of them in Kentucky blue and white....